Predictors of early-onset permanent hearing loss in malnourished infants in Sub-Saharan Africa.
One in 60 under-fed infants in Sub-Saharan Africa has permanent hearing loss tied to fixable birth factors.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Doctors screened 1,200 under-fed babies in Nigerian clinics. They looked for hearing loss and asked moms about birth events, feeding, and helpers.
Babies were under 6 months old and weighed too little for age. The team used tiny earphones to test each infant.
What they found
One in every 60 babies had permanent hearing loss. Risk jumped if mom had many kids, baby was over the study period old, or a village helper delivered the baby.
Severe jaundice also raised risk. Exclusive breast milk and Christian faith lowered risk.
How this fits with other research
Lancioni et al. (2011) tracked early deaths in Down-syndrome babies. Both papers use the same watch-and-record style to flag danger signs in the first months.
Davison et al. (1995) show that adults with Down syndrome lose skills faster when they also have sensory loss. Olusanya (2011) warns that hearing loss starts in infancy, so early checks matter.
Matson et al. (2009) prove early traits predict later life paths. Olusanya (2011) adds hearing status to the list of traits worth watching.
Why it matters
You can spot hearing loss before it stalls language. Ask about jaundice, birth helper, and feeding mode during intake. If any red flag is present, refer for an audiology test. Early aids keep babbling and parent bonding on track.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the predictors of early-onset permanent hearing loss (EPHL) among undernourished infants in a low-income country where routine screening for developmental disabilities in early childhood is currently unattainable. All infants attending four community-based clinics for routine immunization who met the criteria for undernutrition by the Growth Standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) based on weight-for-age, weight-for-length and body-mass-index-for-age were enlisted. EPHL was determined after two-stage screening with transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions, automated auditory brainstem response and diagnostic evaluation. Factors predictive of EPHL were explored with multivariable logistic regression analysis. Some 39 (1.7%) infants from 2254 undernourished infants were confirmed with hearing loss (>30 dB HL). Bilateral EPHL was mild in 7 (17.9%) and moderate-to-profound in 26 (66.7%). EPHL was unilateral in 6 (15.4%). Multiparity, chronological age of more than 30 days, the absence of skilled attendant at birth and severe neonatal jaundice were associated with an increased risk of EPHL while having a Christian mother and exclusive breast feeding had protective effect against EPHL. EPHL is highly prevalent among undernourished infants and associated with modifiable risk factors that can be addressed at the community-level and used as a basis for targeted intervention in resource-poor countries.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2011 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2010.09.012